Decreased systemic formation of prostaglandin E and prostacyclin, and unchanged thromboxane formation, in alcoholics during withdrawal as estimated from metabolites in urine

1. The rates of secretion into the circulation of prostaglandin E, prostacyclin, and thromboxane A₂ were estimated in male alcoholics on the third day of withdrawal and in control subjects by measuring appropriate metabolites in urine.

2. Urinary levels of tetranor-5,11-diketo-7α-hydroxyprostane-1,16-dioic acid (the major urinary metabolite of prostaglandins E₁ and E₂), of 2,3-dinor-6-ketoprostaglandin F_1α (the major urinary metabolite of prostacyclin) and of 6-keto-prostaglandin F_1α (the stable hydrolysis product of prostacyclin) were significantly different from the normal subjects in the alcoholic group. In contrast, 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B₂ (the major urinary metabolite of thromboxane A₂) and thromboxane B₂ (the stable hydrolysis product of thromboxane A₂) were not significantly different between the groups.

3. These data suggest that the ratio of the vasodilator prostanoids prostaglandin E and prostacyclin and the vasoconstrictor prostanoid thromboxane A₂ is lower than in normal subjects, in alcoholics during withdrawal. This may be one causal factor for the higher incidence of hypertension observed in withdrawing alcoholics compared with control subjects.